wilson



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. W. WILSON.

SELF LBVELING BBETH.

No 268,585. Patented Dec. 5. 1882.

MVENTUR M /ZW I r it PETERS. mwum w. Wuhinaion. n c

(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2;

G. W. WILSON.

SELF LEVBLINGBERTH.

No. 268.585. Patented Dec. 5. 1882.

INVENTUH %%%%zm) UNITED STATES PATENT Darren. Y 7

CHARLES w. WILSON, on nosroh, MASSACHUSETTS, Assienoe TO THE nrusror SHIPS BERTH COMPANY, on SAME PLACE.

SELF-LEVE LI'NG BE RTH.

SPECIFIOA'ITON forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,585, dated December 5, 1882.

Application filed May 22, 1882. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern: I Be it known'that I, CHARLES W. WILSON, l

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bos- 1 ton, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Self-Leveling Berths for Vessels, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact I description, reference being had to the accotnpanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a self-leveli in g ships berth constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section 1 through the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the linear mof Fig. 2. Fig. I 4 is a horizontal Section on the line yyof Fig. i 3; Fig. 5, detail illustrating the mechanism I by which the bolts for locking the berth are. operated. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line z z of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 represents a moditij cation of a portion of my'invention.

' My invention has for its object to furnish a l self-leveling ships berth of simple construe-f tion,having its supporting-frame made adj ustable longitudinally to adapt it for state-rooms of different lengths; and my invention consists in a berth supported within afrarne composed of two longitudinal bars located, on opposite sides of the berth, and secured by slidingor ad- 0 justable connections to transverse bars at the head and foot of the berth, which latter bars are pivoted at their centers to the stanchions or walls of the state-room or casing within which the berth is located, the berth being provided at or near the center of its length on opposite sides with socket-plates, which rest upon knife-edges secured to and made adjust able upon the longitudinal bars of the supporting-frame, the arrangement of the transverse bars'being such that no part of the supporting-frame is interposed between either end of the berth and the contiguous wall of the stateroom, which is an importantadvantage, as it admits ofa longer berth being used in ordinary staterooms, which in ocean stcamships are invariably of very limited dimensions in the direction of the length of the berth.

My invention also consists. in certain details of construction, as hereinafter set forth and specifically claimed.

1n the said drawings, A represents the stateroomior casing within which the berth is located.

the berth-supporting frame. 2 secured in place, whenadjusted, by set-Screws B is the berth, which is made of rectangular form and of sufficient depth to contain the mattresses, bedding, &c, and has secured to it on each side a socket-plate, 0, provided with a series of V-shapedsockets or projections, b, one of which rests on a knife-edge, 6, at the upper end of a short bar, 0, secured to and adapted to slide upon one of the longitudinalbars D D of These bars 0 are d, and by sliding them along the bars D, so as to enter different sockets b, the berth can be made to hang with its head higher orlower, as desired, thus adapting it to the preponderance of weight in the upper part of the body of the occupant, and allowing it to balance evenly'in the direction of its length when occupied. The opposite ends of the two bars D D, which extend along the front and rear sides of the berth, parallel therewith, pass through slots or 1 apertures 9 in the downwardly-bent ends 10 of a pair of transverse bars, G'G, each of which is pivoted at its center to the bulk-heads or ends of the state-room or casing A, the pivotal point e beinglocated above the level of the upper edge of the berth. The ends ef the transverse bars G are bent inward toward the center of the berth to afford opportunity for the ends of the bars D to be slid through them to adapt the berth for state-rooms of different lengths, which greatly facilitates the operation of fitting or applying the berths to dili'ee ent vessels, the sliding connections being held firmly together, when adjusted, by means of set-serewsf; and it will be Seen that with the above-described construction and arrangement of the bars G no portion of the supportingframe is interposed between the ends of the berth and the walls of the state-room, and consequently the ends of the berth can be made to extend within aquarter of an inch of the state-room walls, and yet be free to oscillate as required, which enables a swinging berth to be used of greater length than has heretofore been possible with a state-room of given di- 7 mensions.

If desired, the transverse bars G G may be made adjustable in length by causing one por; tion to slide within or upon another, as seen in Fig. 7, thus adapting the supporting-frame for berths of different widths. l The berth B, supported, as above described, upon the knife-edges 6 of the bars 0, is free to oscillate thereon in the direction of itslength,

, or fore and aft, to offset the pitching motion of the vessel, while the supporting-frame D G oscillates on the pivots e e in a transverse direction, or athwartships, to compensate for or offset the roll of the vessel, and the berth is thus enabled, by reason of the universal movement described, to preserve its equilibrium or balance and maintain itself in a horizontal position, or nearly so, when occupied, irrespective of the motion of the vessel, even in the roughest weather, thus preventing sea-sickness and insuring repose and opportunity for sleep, whereby the passenger is rendered much more comfortable and the liability of his being thrown out of his berth in heavy weather entirely avoided.

To the rear side of the berth B, on opposite sides of the center, are secured rubber blocks or cushions H H, which, when the berth oscillates sufficientl y on the knife-edges or pivots u, come into contact with the bars D, thus acting as stops to limit the t'ore-and-at't oscillation of the berth, while the elasticity of the rubber prevents any sudden shock from being communicated to the occupant in the event of the stops striking the bar D during the move ments of the vessel.

The front side of the berth B is made double, in. order to conceal from view the bar D,'socket-plate O, and adjustable bar 0 on that side, the outside portion, g, being paneled or other wise rendered ornamental, if desired.

It isevident that the construction of the sliding or adjustable connections between the 1ongitudinal bars D and the transverse bars G may be varied, if desired, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The berth is held immovably and prevented from oscillating or tipping in either direction to facilitate the operation of getting into or out ofit by means of two horizontal locking bars or bolts, I I, Fig. 4,which slide in grooves in the rear side of the berth, and are simultaneously moved in opposite directions to cause them to enter recesses in the casing A, or be withdrawn therefrom by means of a disk, K,

pivoted at its center to the side of the berth,

and having a lever or handle, h,which projects up into aconvenient position to be operated by the occupant of the berth. This disk is provided with two cam-grooves, i t, Fig. 5, into which fit friction-rolls on pins It, projecting from the sliding bolts I I, and thus when the handle his moved in one direction the bolts are thrown to lock the berth and prevent it from swinging on its pivots, and when moved in the opposite direction withdrawn to release the berth, as desired.

It is evident that my invention can be applied with advantage to other parts of ships and their furniture-for instance, to racks for crockery, glassware, &c., tables, chairs, settees, 850., and also to stalls titted on board ship for transporting cattle.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination,with an oscillatingbertb, B, of a supporting-frame composed of the longitudinal side bars, D D, and thetransverse bars G G, the latter being pivoted at ee, above the upper edge of the berth, and connected with the bars D D at points within the ends of the berth, so that no portion of the supporting-frame is interposed between either end of the berth and the contiguous bulk-heads ofthe state-room, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Thecombinatiomwith theoscillatingberth B, of the longitudinal supporting-bars D D, arranged on opposite sides thereof,'.and secured by sliding or adjustable connections at their opposite ends to the transverse bars G G, pivoted at e e to the walls of the state-room or casing A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The berth B, provided with plates 0 0, having a series of sockets, b, in combination with the sliding bars 0 0, having knife-edges 6, and made adjustable upon the longitudinal bars D D of the supporting-frame in the direction of the length of the berth, whereby the berth can be hung to adapt it to the preponderance of weight in the upper portion of the body of the occupant, substantially as set forth.

4. The combinatiomwith the oscillating berth B and the longitudinal bars D D of the supporting-frame, of the elastic stops or cushions H H, secured to the side of the'berth, and adapted to be brought into contact with one of the bars D to prevent undue oscillation of the berth in the direction of its length, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the berth B, with its socket-plates O O, the longitudinal bars D D,

with their adjustable sliding bars 0 0, having knife-edges upon which the socket-plates rest,

and the transverse bars G G, secured to the bars D D by means of sliding or adjustable connections at their ends, and pivoted at cc to the walls of the state-room or casing A, above the level of the upper edge of the berth, and having their ends bent inward and downward at 10 to allow of their connection with the bars D D in such manner that no portion of the supporting-frame is interposed between either end of the berth and the contiguous wall of the state-room or casing, all constructed to op- 'erate substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the longitudinal bars D D, of the transverse bars G G, pivoted at 6'0, and made adjustable in length to adapt the supporting-frame for berths of different widths, substantially as described.

Witness my hand this 17th day of May, A. D. 1882.

P. E. TESCHEMACHER, W. J. CAMBRIDGE. 

